crazysue

Now that is my dream (apart from doing the VIP Methanol thing) for Cardiff! Alas the purse strings wouldn't quite stretch to that for next year but who knows, I may win the lottery and join you the year after!

I would probably do both. Wembly is in easy driving distance from here so no need to hotel accomodation, in fact we could even take a cheapie train! Less hassle with getting 2 of the boys looked after as it would be a much shorter time needed and with no overnight stay. Cardiff for me though would still be the main event..yes, I do stay overnight but hey, that is the bonus!

Must admit when I actually clicked through (a few days ago now), you could choose tickets in every category but there was no mention of £29 despite it being on the first page.

There was slightly more to the story Shazzy.....

Should have told me! I wouldn't have had a chaperone then complaining about me going to bed at 3.30 in the morning...and it wasn't my son!

I stayed at the Brandon Hall Hotel and it is indeed a lovely hotel...although you will have to get your stomping boots on to walk to the stadium!

Yes Matt

I was amazed at how quickly the rooms were going....loads of people in front of us at the checking out queue on Sunday were pre booking for next year and when I asked about it and said I would probably think about it on the drive home, I was told not to think too long as they were quickly getting booked up. As it is, I have changed my hotel completely for next year, ok it is slightly more expensive but there will be no hassle getting into and out of the city centre (as in transport from hotel to stadium and back again) plus I gave eldest son the choice.....go back to same hotel or he helps put money by each week in a savings account and we go for a slightly more expensive hotel but in the centre right near the stadium.....he chose putting money by. And we started saving for next year, yesterday!

The Angel and for 2 nights.

I almost rebooked mine as we were checking out on Sunday but didn't...had a long think on the way home and rebooked when we arrived back...only to cancel it a short time after when I booked a city centre one that needs no transport to and from the stadium. This I then changed (again!) yesterday morning to a 2 night stay from a 1 night stay...and all without confirmed dates, just working on the assumption that it would be the same weekend and then spending the rest of the day with fingers crossed!

Firstly, I have posted in the positive and as far as I know, I am not one of the 'forum chums'. I enjoyed the so called 'Tory Party battle hymn' which gave me a lump in the throat when I saw all the flags and made me feel very patriotic. Lonigo 2005? I was there and yes the crowd and atmosphere was good but the music didn't even register with me as being part of the entertainment so it can't have been that memorable! Yes there were some parts of the music Saturday night that had me cringing but on the whole it was a very enjoyable experience, especially for those of us who did not have the advantage of a big screen showing interviews or race re-runs in the time between heats. One final thing, what is more likely to get everyone up and dancing at a wedding? Hokey Cokey or Bring your Daughter to the Slaughter? The answer is Hokey Cokey (even though I would love it to be the Iron Maiden number), seems people respond more to cheese than to hard rock as it is more mainstream.

But then those of us who live nearly 300 miles away would have to stay over on the Friday night to be there on time for Saturday (or leave home at stupid o'clock on Saturday) and either stay over Saturday night or run the risk of being overtired and driving straight home after the meeting. Nope, I think the time is just fine as it is...at least we can leave home at a semi decent time, have time to relax before the meeting starts and only one night really essential to stay over if you don't want to drive straight home.

Not ALL the British fans were booing (or cheering when Nicki fell off)...some of us don't agree with riders being subjected to boos, no matter what the reason. I do so hate being lumped into the majority.

Think I may have met up with more new faces if I hadn't been a wimp and been scared to go into the pub (apart from toilet breaks but that is another story which Nevs keeps threatening to post!)

Was good to meet up with you and your brother too Steve....I did post on one of the Cardiff threads (god knows which one now as there are so many!) that you were an excellent conversationalist, a great guy and not at all like the way you are percieved on here. Oh and thanks for the drinks.... I was clucked at by my room mate for getting back so late!

Bend 3, the screen down near bends 1 and 2 was not working all night.

I have booked my room for next year but at a change of place....now all I have to hope is that I have guessed correctly! Oh and have booked for 2 nights next year as my parents had the boys Friday night this year too so thought I would push it and ask them to have the boys Friday and Saturday plus pick them up from school on the Friday (now to start working on them )

For those of us who only had a broken screen to gaze at, the music was a godsend as we still had something to enjoy.

I would have said slightly bigger this year...... The POW seemed even more packed than last year!

I agree CC...after Scott went out I didn't pay any attention to the final, mind you that could have been because I was clock watching and worried about missing the last bus back to the hotel! (Which we didn't get anyway as they didn't pick up where they said they would!)

I personally enjoyed it and thought the music was more apt than in previous years although there was a time when Chris and or Niels was still down on the track and light hearted music started playing which I thought was inappropriate. The W***** song was hysterical and had me in stitches! The Land of Hope and Glory had me in tears especially when I looked around and saw all the flags waving..... If I had a choice, I would prefer the music this year to previous years.

Had a great time although feeling it today! Was good to meet up with SRBramble (and his brother), he really is a nice guy, an excellent conversationalist and not at all how he is perceived on these forums. Also nice to meet for the first time, Bobbin and Jacques. It was also good to meet up with familiar faces at the POW (even if I kept forgetting the name to face! Sorry Colin Cooke) The GP itself.....errr well I missed from the end of heat 7 through to heat 12 as we were taking a little diversion through the bowels of the stadium to the first aid room in the pits! Not me this time but eldest son had forgotten to take his painkillers (he did his back in a week ago) and being in so much pain by heat 7 that he decided to go and ask the nearest first aid post for some. Mind you, it was great walking through the pits while the racing was on! What racing I did see was not too bad although I think Nicki had all his christmases last night in one go...how he continued to be kept in the races I will never know although I disagreed with the cheer which went up when he came off in the final (oh and the boos). Stadium - Well what happened to our screen then? Blooming thing not working, couldn't see replays, interviews etc.....very poor show from the stadium. Also the confiscation of air horns outside...although we sneaked ours through by watching the crowd and the stewards Information on the buses could have been a lot clearer, we got a bus in and checked to make sure of pick up time and place and it turned out the information was completely wrong (we were not the only ones to be given dud info) and there was no clear signage on where to actually catch a bus from and no person around to actually direct those waiting to the correct place. Luckily this year, the taxi's were better priced and we didn't get any of the £60 quotes we got last year so managed to get back to the hotel relatively cheaply. Finally got to bed at 3.30 and was up again at 7 ready for brekkie and the journey home.

The day has arrived!! Will be leaving in 43 minutes precisely (well if Andy, my driver turns up on time that is) and mostly everything is packed. I am so excited!

Just doing last minute bits and bobs before taking middle son swimming and then dropping the two youngest off with my parents later this evening. Then it's early to bed (yeah right!) and up for 6am, ready to leave at 7 in the morning....eldest son is a little shocked at that time, especially for a Saturday morning. One thing I haven't got this year is my flags, I usually buy a huge one and have all the British riders names on it but I just haven't got round to it this year due to it all being last minute. One final thing, I got given some tickets (2) last night which I don't need, if anyone fancies them drop me a private message...you will be surprised at the cost! (As in less than a penny) Edit - May have a taker.